When one thinks of the Reds clubs of recent years, the first thing that comes to mind is probably their potent offense led by sluggers Ken Griffey, Jr., Austin Kearns, and the big donkey, Adam Dunn. Once again, Cincinnati ranks near the top of the National League in runs scored (they’re second to the Dodgers), home runs (their 91 top the circuit), and both on-base and slugging average (their 802 OPS is second only to LA). This time, however, they also rank near the top of the National League in the only category that really counts: wins.

Despite dropping three of four to the Cubs over the weekend, the Reds are right in the middle of the NL playoff race, a game and a half behind the Cardinals in the Central and two games clear of the Diamondbacks for the top spot in the Wild Card standings. The difference? Pitching.

After toiling at the bottom of the league year after year, the 2006 Reds rank a respectable eighth in the senior circuit in ERA and sixth in WHIP. Not spectacular by any stretch, but the staff’s ability to keep runners off base and runs off the board has been music to the ears of the Cincy fanbase, accustomed to seeing their offensive onslaughts wasted by incompetent hurlers. Stuck in a ballpark that dishes out more home runs than hot dogs, the Reds staff has been spectacular over the last few weeks, holding opponents to a .301 on-base average and .401 slugging average during June.

Led by out-of-nowhere ace Bronson Arroyo, the club’s starting rotation has gone 26-24 with a fourth-in-the-NL 4.13 ERA while protecting their bullpen by racking up 388 innings, second most in the league. The relief corps has been anything but reliable, posting a 4.90 ERA and league-worst 828 opponents’ OPS, but new closer Todd Coffey has been outstanding and leads the National League in Win Expectation Above Replacement, Baseball Prospectus’s leverage-adjusted measure of a relief pitcher’s performance.

The Brewers, meanwhile, were bested by the Cardinals this weekend in two of three games. Disappointing pitching performances by Jorge De La Rosa and Dave Bush in the bookend contests wasted a solid offensive performance by the team’s hitters and spoiled a chance at a series win. Still, the team opens play on Monday just four games below .500 and with a chance to gain ground on the second-place Reds.

[Continue Reading at Brewerfan.net]